Julie Scates (42), from Castlereagh, who lives with her partner Steve Richie, has BRCA 1 and has advanced cancer. She has three children, Courtney (24), Cameron (18) and Leah (12). She says: “I was diagnosed with stage 4 primary peritoneal cancer (PPC), a form of ovarian cancer, when I was 39. It ha...
Debra Rice (44), a legal secretary from south Belfast, is a BRCA 1 carrier. She is married to Philip (47) and they have a daughter, Emma (8). She says, “My dad’s two sisters died at a young age from breast and ovarian cancer so I’ve been attending a family history clinic at Belfast City Hospital for...
Joanne Clarke (39) from Newry has BRCA 2 and has had a double mastectomy. She is married to Adrian (43) and they have two daughters, Anna (12) and Ellen (9). Joanne is adamant that more research into the condition is needed and urges people to help Cancer Focus NI raise cash for this important cause...
Christine Garrett (29) from Lisbane, Comber, was diagnosed with breast cancer in May 2011. When she discovered she had the BRCA2 gene she opted for a double mastectomy. Here, she tells her courageous story. “I was working as a nursing auxiliary in the Belfast City Hospital Intensive Care Unit and h...
Recommendations to improve support for cancer patients in Northern Ireland have been published by Queen’s University Belfast and Cancer Focus NI. The report ‘Dying with Cancer – Perspectives of Bereaved Relatives and Friends’ has identified key factors influencing what enables cancer patients...
